[OrganiCup Review] 6 reasons to switch to a menstrual cup

OrganiCup is offering a free cup to one Green Zen Fit reader, so check out the post to know more!

This week was World Environment Day, so I decided to talk about something that can have a positive impact on our planet.

In August 2016, I declared myself a minimalist. Part of the decision was for the environment, but a big part was for my own sake. I wanted to have more space, to spend less money and less time on activities that don’t bring value to my life.

One of the first things I did was replace disposable items with reusable ones. Think about it – you save money, you remove the item from your shopping list and your mind, and you produce less waste. I even wrote a blog post about how much money you can save by opting for reusables – read it here.

Of course, the easiest change was plastic bags. Tote bags are not only reusable, but they are cute too. However, after shopping bags, paper towels, and other obvious replacements, I had to start digging deeper. What else do I buy and only use once?

Tampons. Every month, 2 boxes. And they go straight to the bin after. Have you ever tried to imagine all the menstrual products you use in your lifetime in a single big pile? Because there’s a big chance they still exist in a landfill somewhere. Yes, really.

I used to spend about £5 per month on tampons. Not a lot, but could I get rid of the expense? After a bit of research, I found OrganiCup. It costs £20, so 4 months worth of tampons, but lasts me for years. No brainer. I ordered one and have been using it for the last two years. Game changer.

It comes in 2 possible sizes, and it’s easy to choose the right one (it was size A for me because no babies).

The transition

It took me a few months to get used to it, or for it to get used to me. In the beginning, I still wore daily pads to make sure I don’t get stains and to have one more layer of protection until I can fully trust the cup. But the pads were also disposable, so I got reusable ones! Right now, I don’t need them anymore. I still carry one tampon in my bag, just in case it catches me by surprise and I’m not home to clean the cup. But that almost never happens.

How does it work

It’s a silicon cup that you wear internally and collects all the liquid in a natural, non-invasive way. You can wear it for 12 hours, and clean it in the morning and the evening with running water. And every month, before wearing it on the first day, you sanitize it in hot, boiling water, for 5 minutes.

Benefits

1. Environmentally friendly

You reduce the amount of waste you produce by only needing 2-3 cups during your lifetime.

2. Budget-friendly

Think about it this way: every year, one of your utility bills (or more! or a pair of shoes!) is paid with the money you save by not buying tampons. I also love the fact that they don’t exist on my shopping list anymore, it’s one less thing to worry about.

3. Natural and safe

The absorbent property of a tampon is anything but natural. Plus, it can also cause dryness and serious infections. The cup just collects, doesn’t absorb, so it doesn’t interfere with the body’s activity. It’s also hypoallergenic, vegan and cruelty-free and doesn’t contain any weird ingredients.

4. Clean and comfortable

I haven’t used pads for many years, but I do remember I always felt a bit dirty and I definitely knew I had one on! Sitting down wearing a tampon is not the best either. But I do feel comfortable with the cup – it’s less rigid and clean, so I sometimes forget about it.

5. Going to the toilet is easier

During the day, especially if I’m at work, having the cup instead of a tampon is much easier. I don’t have to change it every time, and I don’t have to sneak something in my pocket in an office full of men before I go to the bathroom.

6. You can go swimming fo’ real

Do you remember the old ads for tampons? “You can do anything you want – ride a bike, go swimming, exercise”. Let me tell you, I tried going swimming with one of those, it wasn’t pretty. Because the cup is made of silicon, you can safely swim or take a shower, without absorbing all the water or drain the pool.

The only activity I don’t recommend, no matter what you wear during that time of the month, is going upside down in Yoga poses. Handstand, headstand, shoulderstand, and any other pose that would reverse the direction of the flow is not natural for the body at that time. Even if it sits well, just imagine turning a full cup upside down. Urgh. But I’m sure you can skip handstand practice for 5 days a month.

Giveaway

So, what do you think? If this is for you, OrganiCup offered me a free cup for one of my readers. All you have to do is register here. I’ll pick one lucky lady, randomly, on June 30. OrganiCup ships worldwide, so the Giveaway is open to all my female readers, no matter where you live, yey!

[Giveaway is now closed]

If you want to know more about the technical details, go to OrganiCup.com. Don’t want to wait for the giveaway to be over? You can order one from the website or from Amazon (US/UK) right now.

Note: the post was NOT sponsored by OrganiCup, I reached out to them because I’m such a big fan! However, they kindly allowed me to use some of their pictures for this post.

Liked this post? I publish new content every Thursday and the best thing you can do to keep up to date is to sign up for the email list!

Fill in the form below to subscribe

Interested in more posts on how to live a more environmentally friendly life? Check these out: